Media Release Detail

Daniel Andrews fails to commit on hospital beds

Thursday, April 02, 2015

Former President of the Australian Medical Association Victoria, Dr
Doug Travis, has released the interim report into a state-wide census of
bed and theatre capacity, and has provided early recommendations about how to
increase the capacity of Victorian public hospitals.

The Travis report makes the following key points:

Â·The Victorian public hospital system is well equipped to meet
the immediate challenges of a growing population with increasing demand for
health services.

Â·There have been significant improvements in hospital
productivityÂ·There has been demonstrated initiative to improve access to elective
surgery by cooperating across Health services to utilise unused theatre
capacity

Setting the
record straight:

Â·Over
its term of government, the Coalition Government invested an additional $2.66
billion per annum in Health Services, equivalent to a 21.6% increase in
funding.

Â·As
at June 2014, the Coalition had delivered more than 700 additional beds into
the Victorian system since coming to government, and was on track to reach the
800 additional bed target by June 2015

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister
for Health Mary Wooldridge

“This report
is an endorsement of the former Coalition Government’s investment in our health
system.”

“There are 15
important recommendations in Dr Travis’ report and Daniel Andrews has not committed
to a single one of them.”

“This is yet
another example of Daniel Andrews being more interested in playing politics
rather than delivering outcomes for Victorians.”